Woodwind Ensemble,Woodwind Quartet Bassoon,Clarinet,Flute,Oboe - Level 4 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.956671
Composed by Scott Joplin. Arranged by Catriona Melville-Mason. Concert,Ragtime,Standards. 16 pages. C Melville-Mason #6867577. Published by C Melville-Mason (A0.956671).
The Maple Leaf Rag is an early work by the African-American ragtime composer, Scott Joplin. It was first published in 1899, although Joplin had been performing it for some years prior to this. The composer was confident that the work would be a commercial success and, indeed, in due course, royalties from the piece provided him with a stable income for life.
Joplin wanted The Maple Leaf Rag performed at his funeral. His widow opted not to honour this request, feeling that the music was stylistically inappropriate for such a sad occasion – a decision she later regretted.
This arrangement for mixed woodwind quartet of 2 flutes, oboe and either clarinet or bassoon is pretty challenging, both in terms of technique and stamina, hence its classification as 'advanced intermediate'. If desired, players could opt to finish at the change of key at letter F, rather than performing the complete piece.